This spoken-word recording made circa late October 1888 is believed to be the oldest surviving recording of Thomas Edison's voice. The informal message whimsically describes an imagined trip "around the world on the phonograph," by Cunard steamer from New York City to Liverpool, through Europe and Asia, giving specific ships, railroads, cities, and points of interest en route.


This audio is part of the collection: 78 RPMs & Cylinder Recordings
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Artist/Composer: Thomas Edison
Date: 1888-00-00 00:00:00
Source: Public Internet
Keywords: Spoken Word; Oldtime

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Frichard - - March 21, 2006
Subject: Astonishing !!
Thanks for posting this audio artifact.

Reviewer: scotty3213 - - March 16, 2006
Subject: It's not about the content
This is historical audio here! Edison may not have been the greatest speaker, it is amazing that we can still hear him from that long ago. I mean if he decided to fart on the very first audio ever recorded wouldn't that be historical?

Reviewer: jausr - - July 6, 2005
Subject: This is Edison!
This is 1888! This cylinder recording is the shape of things to come! When this is being made, no one else on the planet is even doing it, and few if any, other than Edison, are even dreaming about it. Yes, by todays standards it may seem rudimentary, but it started here. Historically priceless.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - March 9, 2005
Subject: What? No Canada Stops?
Pretty standard Edison vocal record here, with Edison going on (and on and on) about an imagined trip he'll take. First from New york, then to paris, then to Boo-da-pest etc etc. Really not much point except for the historical aspect of the recording.